Lock latch



M. H. WELLS 2,097,504

LOCK LATCH Filed May 29, 1936 INVEI JTOR Mwon HIS ATTORNEY ill Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ore-ice LOCK LATCH Milton H. Wells, Scarsdale, N. Y.

Application May 29,

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to locks and more particularly to an improved lock latch.

While my invention is app'licable to any situation in which a lock maybe utilized, it is particularly applicable for use on structures composed 'of thin material as for example sheet metal, in which the sheet metal may have a considerable range of movement under pressure. Also, it is particularly applicable in connection with containers and wherein it is desired that the catch of the lock may have a movement independent of the movement which may be imparted to it by the key or other operating means of the lock. Such a construction is desirable where, when the cover of the container is opened and the lock is in locked position, it is possible to securely lock the cover in position by merely closing the sameindependently of using thekey and which may be done by the provision of an independently movable catch.

Afeature of myinvention is an improved'lock latch.

A feature of my invention is animproved com-'- bined lock-and latch.

A feature of my invention is an improvedcombined lock and latch wherein the latch has a movement independent ofthe lock, and wherein the latch cooperates with a'catch which permits a relative slidingmovement without disturbing the locking condition.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion'of. a container to which my improved mechanism has been attached.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line.2-2 of 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Referring tothe drawing, l0 designates a portion of the body of a container, such as a box, in which the upper peripheral edge has been folded inward and upward as indicated by the reference numeral H and inwardly as indicated by the reference numeral l2 to form a ledge, the folded portions II and I2 serve the useful purpose of stiffening the construction of the body I0 of the container and also furnishes a construction which when the cover l3 of the container I0 is in closed position and the depending skirt portion of such cover is in the position shown in Fig. 2, prevents unauthorized tampering with the locking mechanism within the container, the depending skirt portion I4 of the cover |3 has 1936, Serial No. 82,409

secured thereto the angle member I5 which contacts with the inwardly extending portion H of the container l0 and provides stop for limiting the downward movement of the cover 3 with respect to the container. 5

At any suitable point on the side of the 'container 1-0 is -a perforation through-which extends =the barrel portion N5 of 'a cylinder lock. The barrel |6is securely attachedto the container Ill by a nut -|8, a washer i9 beinginterposed l0 between the nut l8 and the inner face of the container I0. Rotatably mounted. within the barrel l6, as is usual, is a plug 20,-and secured to, but rotatable on a reduced portion 25 of such plug 20 is a latch member -2! which is notched, at H, as clearly shown in the drawing, and the notched-portion I1 engages with a catch 22 secured to; the innerface of the cover I3 in any suitable manner, as by rivets 23. g

The latch member 2| is operated by the usual key-adapted to be inserted in the slot 24 ofthe plug 2|]. Rotating the latch member 2| in a clockwise directiom'as viewed in Fig. 1 releases the latch member 2| from the catch '22, and the cover l3 may be raised from the container II].

-It will frequently happen however, particularly where the container II] is utilized, for example as a container for milkbottles, that the -key for operating the plug 20 is not in the slot '24 and therefore the latch member 2| is in locked posi-' tion and. the cover I3 is open, and thereforethe catch 22 is out of engagement with the latch member 2|. Under such conditions with an ordinary lock it would be necessary for the milk man to be provided with a key in order to operate the latch member 2| tosuch a position asto permit the catch 22 to be engaged by latch member 2| to enable him to safely place filled milk bottles in the container II). To obviate this necessity, I have provided means in connection with the latch member 2| and in its connection with the plug 20 which will permit the lock mechanism to remain in lockedposition and will permit a relative movement of the latch member 2| to allow the cover l3 tobe moved to locked position. The latch member 2| is, as stated above, mounted on but rotatable with respect to the plug 20. Such latch member 2| is held in position on .a reduced portion 25 of the plug 20, and. is held thereon by a washer 26 and screw 21. Extending radially outward from the reduced portion 25 is a member 28 attached toor formed integral with plug 20 and which is housed Within a slot 29, formed'in the latch member 2|. It is apparent therefore, that there will be a limited rotative in Fig. 4. When the plug 20 is in the lockedposition the cut away portion 30 is in alignment with a recess 3| formed in the barrel l6.

be engaged by a pin 33, secured to the inner face of the cam 2 With the latch member 2| and the plug 20 in r the locked position, or in the position shown in Fig. 3 for example, the coil spring 32 rotates the latch member 2| in a clockwise direction, so as to have the notch engage with the catch 22, and to bring one end of the slot 28 in the latch member 2| into engagement with the member 28 on the plug 2i). If it is desired to open the container I0, the key (not shown) will be inserted in the slot 24, and the key utilized to rotate the plug 20 in a'clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, or in a counterclockwise direction, as viewedin Fig. 3, whereupon the member 28 engaging with one wall of the slot 29 will rotate the latch member 2|, so as to free same from the catch 22, and the cover l3 may be raised. The key (not shown) may now be removed from the slot 24, and if it is desired to then close the cover I 3, such cover is brought down and the catch 22 engaging with the bevel of the latch member 2 I, will rotate the said latch member 2| on the reduced end 25 of the plug 20in a counter clockwise direction, as viewedin Fig. 3, allowing the catch 22 toride into registry with the notch ll of the latch member 2 whereupon the spring 32, in its endeavor to regain its normal free position will rotate the plug 20 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so as to bring the latch member 2| into engagement with the catch 22.

To provide limiting stops for the plug 2|] in its rotative movement, I provide a slot 35 in the barrel l6 and in which slot works a pin 36 secured to the latch member 2 The dimensions of the slot 35 correspond closely with the dimensions of the slot 29 in the latch member 2|. The pin 36 in connection with the slot 35 provides a positive stop arrangement for limiting the rotative movement of the plug 20, and therefore the latch member 2 in either direction.

It is to be noted that the catch 22 extends down- Resting within the recess 3| is one end of a coil spring 32," and the free end of this coil spring is adapted to wardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and such catch 22 has relatively great length as compared with the thickness of the latch member 2 With this construction it is apparent that regardless of the flexibility of the material of which the container I0 is made that it will be practically impossible to -move the latch member 2| out of locking engagement with the catch 22.

As a further precaution against unwarranted tamperingwith the locking mechanism,,I extend the horizontal portion 2 of the upper edge of the container body l0 toward the catch 22, the clearance between the portion l2 and the catch 22 being only sufiicient to permit the lower end of the catch 22 to clear the portion |2 when the cover 7| 3 is being opened.

Whereas, I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1

I claim;

1. An improved cylinderlock comprising a casing, a plug rotatively mounted therein, means for limiting the rotative movement of the plug with respect to the casing, a latch member rotatively mounted on the plug, a stop member on the plug, a recess in the latch member housing the stop member and cooperating therewith to limit the rotative movement-of the latch member with respect to the plug in either direction, a coil spring housed within the casing, a projection on the latch member'engaging with one end of said coil spring whereby said coil spring is compressed upon rotative movement of the latch member in one directionand whereby said spring acts to rotate the latch member in the opposite direction.

, 2. An improved cylinder lock comprising a casing, anarcuate slot formed in said casing, a plug rotatively mounted in the casing, a pin secured to theplug' and extended radially outward therefrom and housed within the 'arcuate slot, a latch memberrotatively mounted on the plug, a stop member secured to the plug, a recess formed in the latch member and housing the stop member and cooperating with the stop member for limiting the rotative movement of the latch member in either direction, a resilient member cooperating with the latch member for resiliently rotating the same in one direction to bring the stop member into engagementwith one end of the recess, said cooperating pin and arcuate slot in the plug and easing respectively forming a positive stop for positively limiting rotation of the plug with respect to the casing in either direction. 7

I MILTON H. WELLS. 

